Roark Capital Group acquired Arby's, Jimmy John's, and Massage Envy before buying Buffalo Wild Wings.
- Roark Capital Group finalized its deal to acquire Buffalo Wild Wings for $2.9 billion on February 5.
- The private-equity firm helped turn around Arby's after buying a majority stake in 2011.
- The firm has a diverse portfolio that includes restaurants, gyms, and auto repair centers.
The parent company of Arby's, Roark Capital Group, finalized its $2.9 billion deal to acquire Buffalo Wild Wings on February 5. The deal will create a new operating company, Inspire Brands, that will control Arby's, Buffalo Wild Wings, and R Taco. Former Arby's CEO Paul Brown was named CEO of the new company.
Buffalo Wild Wings had struggled in the years before the acquisition, but Roark Capital rescued Arby's from a similar position in 2011. The private-equity firm has built a diverse portfolio that includes restaurants, gyms, and auto repair centers.
Here are some of the highlights of that portfolio.
Anytime Fitness
Roark purchased an undisclosed stake in the fitness chain in 2014. It currently has over 3,000 locations, some of which are open 24 hours.
Arby's
The sandwich chain has undergone a massive turnaround since Roark bought a majority stake in 2011. In 2016, Arby's counted $3.7 billion in revenue, which was a 20% increase from 2013.
Auntie Annie's
A food-court staple, pretzel chain Auntie Annie's was acquired by Focus Brands, one of Roark's portfolio companies, in 2010.
Carl's Jr.
Before feuding with Wendy's and dealing with food safety violations from its franchisees, Carl's Jr. was acquired by Roark, which bought a majority stake in its parent company, CKE Inc., in 2013.
Cinnabon
Since Roark bought Cinnabon and Seattle's Best Coffee from their former parent company for $21 million in 2004, Cinnabon has struggled as mall foot traffic declines.
Corner Bakery
Roark purchased the fast-casual chain in 2011.
Jimmy John's
After growing to over 2,000 locations and $2 billion in revenue, Jimmy John's sold a majority stake to Roark in 2016.
Massage Envy
Massage Envy has been the subject of at least 180 lawsuits alleging its employees sexually assaulted clients. It was acquired by Roark in 2012.
Meineke Car Care
Roark bought the car repair franchise's parent company, Driven Brands, in 2015.
OrangeTheory
The fitness chain that focuses on high-intensity workout classes received an undisclosed investment from Roark in 2016.
Roark Capital Group acquired Arby's, Jimmy John's, and Massage Envy before buying Buffalo Wild Wings. Read Full Story
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